Randolph woman loves to live

From her birth on May 25, 1910, Dorothy “Dottie” Franklin has spent the past 100 years living with fun, laughter and love.

Katherine Finnell

From her birth on May 25, 1910, Dorothy “Dottie” Franklin has spent the past 100 years living with fun, laughter and love.

Franklin was born in South Boston and grew up in West Roxbury.

“I did what I wanted to do, that was it,” Franklin said of her youth in Boston.

She recalled just getting into a car and going anywhere she wanted.

She would go to the beach and jump off the rocks into the water.

“I was unbelievable,” she said.

Franklin was the only child of Willie and Annie Sadder. Her mother died at 60, and her father died at age 83.

Franklin began working at a time when many women didn’t. She worked for various companies as a bookkeeper, and is still good with numbers today.

Franklin met the love of her life, Max, when she was 12. They dated for 12 years before getting married.

Franklin described their relationship as a great love affair.

“I could write a book about that,” she said.

They were married for 63 years until his death in late 1995.

Franklin and her husband had one daughter, Arline. Arline had two daughters, Marcy and Amy. Arline died 10 years ago of ovarian cancer.

Franklin’s granddaughters, Marcy and Amy Kawadler, grew up in Canton but now live in California. Franklin described her granddaughters as wonderful and devoted girls.

“There was always a lot of fun and laughter,” Marcy Kawadler said of her childhood with Franklin.

She recalled spending every summer with Franklin and their family on Nantasket Beach. Every weekend, Franklin and her husband would visit for Sunday brunch.

Franklin also has one great-grandson, Asher, 4.

“He’s the handsomest kid you ever saw,” Franklin said.

Franklin moved to Randolph from West Roxbury 12 years ago and lives in the Simon C. Fireman Community. She is active within the community, going down from her third floor apartment for dinner and to play cards with friends.

“We play every day,” said Franklin of the many card games she and her friends play, such as poker and bagel, which she described as glorified gin.

Franklin is the only person in her family to live to 100, crediting it to knowing her nutrition. She has a book about nutrition that she uses to determine what she should and should not eat.

Every day she has a big brunch that consists of Total cereal, coffee, muffins and blueberries. Franklin makes it a point to eat blueberries every day because of how good they are for the eyes.

Franklin celebrated her 100th birthday with her family and friends, including her granddaughters and great-grandson, June 12.